We
throw the term "favorite" around a lot, maybe even a
little too much. But when we say that Sir William Russell Flint
is a favorite, we're very serious. Once Bud put together a list of
illustrations that we'd printed in our illustrated book catalogs and we had shown more pictures
by Flint than anyone else. He was the only person we had used more than once
on the catalog covers, too. When it comes to classic, romantic watercolor,
he is our absolute favorite.

Flint lived from 1880 to 1970 and was actively preparing his
autobiography when he died just short of his 90th birthday. That
book, In Pursuit, has only had one edition of 1050 copies,
but Ralph Lewis has published two biographies of Flint based on
the information therein. Of course, he couldn't reproduce all
of the 120 plates and drawings from Pursuit, but he gave
it a good shot.

His
earliest work was for the Illustrated London News from
1903-1907 during which time he recorded current events. His
first book illustrations were for King Solomon's Mines
in 1905, followed by Of the Imitation of Christ in 1908,
Song of Songs (which is Solomon's), two volumes
of Savoy Operas (Gilbert and Sullivan) and Marcus Aurelius
in 1909 and 1910, and then his splendid four volume, 48 plate,
Le Morte D'Arthur in 1910-1911, an image from which appears
above.

The Scholar Gipsy and The Heroes (1912) and The
Canturbury Tales of Geoffrey Chaucer (1913) quickly followed.
The image at right, from Heroes, shows WRF at his prime,
with subject matter to match his talent. A similar book from this
era, The Odyssey, was painted in 1914, but WWI delayed
the printing until 1924. He continued to illustrate color-plate
books through 1929 and his style developed a distinct oriental
cast. While still excellent technically, it lost some of the warmth
and romanticism that was so powerful in his earlier work. This
is especially evident in Judith and Tobit and Susanna.
The Odyssey, because of its copyright date, is often assumed
to be in this later style.

During
this period, he was featured in two important series of book:
Famous Watercolour Painters (at left) and Famous Etchers.
He became an associate of the Royal Academy in 1924 and a full
member in 1933. He became an associate of the Royal Water Colour
Society in 1914, a full member in 1917 and president of the Society
in 1936. A well-illustrated 1943 biography entitled More Than
Shadows documented his remarkable career to that date.

As an artist, Flint was successful enough to indulge his passions
- which consisted, it seems, of drawing. Drawings (from
1950) is a large volume of studies and sketches and plein-air
paintings that reveal his love for art and stunning models.

He always worked from models, for even the least significant
figure in a composition. He often executed multiple studies in
chalk or conte - and Drawings is proof of his talent and
facility. A limited edition was published that contained an original
sketch tipped in.

Except for a 1955 edition of Herrick's Poems, his later
published works were for books he wrote himself. The delightful
Models of Propriety (at left from 1951) featured a witty
Flint poking fun at the models who had posed for him. It revealed
a humorous side of him that was evident in several other books
of his drawings.

Books that followed included the stunning Minxes Admonished,
from 1955 (at left), Shadows in Arcady, The Lisping
Goddess and the dramatic Breakfast at Perigord with
its striking pen & ink high contrast images. Also during
the Fifties, prints of his paintings were issued by banks and
other commercial concerns.

He was knighted in 1962. Throughout his life he was well respected
by his fellow artists and very much admired, then and now, by
the populace. His penchant for drawing and painting beautiful
women was a certain crowd pleaser.

He's still pleasing them today.

Find out more about Sir William Russell Flint from
the following books: